Role of the Media in Raising Awareness About Electoral Violence in Ghana. A Case Study of 2016 or 2020 General Election
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the information media disseminate to people in Ghana 2016 election
- To ascertain the role of media during Ghana 2016 election
- To ascertain the relationship between media and elections in Ghana 2016 election
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Political violence includes several dimensions in its influence in a political environment. It is an ambiguous concept whose definition sparks a lot of debates because scholars are not only supposed to define the term ―political‖ but the definition should also include the concept ―violence‖. This is where the controversy lies and again the reason for the thin existing academic literature in the specific area of political violence and the challenging role of the media. But some scholars have succeeded in theorizing a definition, defining the term as ―repertoires of collective action that involve great physical force and cause damage to an adversary in order to impose political aims‖ (Balcells 2015:2 as cited in Della Porta 1995) In its radical sense, political violence can also be defined using its distinctive characteristics as political action that applies either humane and inhumane means including mass protest, coups, terrorism, riots, pogroms, ethnic cleansing and genocide. (Balcells cited in Kalyvas 2013) As O‘ Neil (2011) also noted, political scientist view political violence in a large scope as involving ―contentious politics‖ or ―collective political struggle‖. This struggle includes issues such as civic revolution, civil war and mass protest for a common cause. O‘Neil sought to better explain this concept in three distinct approaches namely institutional approach, ideational approach and the individual approach. The institutional explanation focuses on how the state, economic factors or the social system contribute to violence in politics. The ideational approach explains how politics and religion cause political violence whiles the individual approach focuses on individuals and what motivates them to engage in violence. Broadly, this triune approaches helps us understand the causes of revolutions, terrorism, electoral conflict, character assassinations and other forms of violent behavior covered on the media landscape. But in the case of Ghana‘s political history, the institutional approach gives a broader explanation of the study of political violence particularly the interplay between political power and social forces. Institutions are described as the systematic rules, norms, values, beliefs and organizations that generate together in a consistency of social behavior. (Balcells as cited in Levi and Menaldo 2013) The fundamental role of institutions in the development of the modern state is so important that it cannot be overemphasized. This is because it helps us understand political deficiencies and outcomes such as civil wars, coups, revolutions and mass protest. (Balcells as cited in Acemoglu et al. 2006, Acemoglu and Robinson 2012) Why did the Arab spring swiftly succeed in toppling the once insurmountable dictators in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya yet when it got to other close neighbours in the Islamic Maghreb; Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Morocco and even in Syria, civilian protest failed to cause a political revolution. Whereas institutions help maintain standards in the society, institutions have also been vulnerable to violence in political discourses. Indeed it plays a dual role sometimes as transmitter of political violence and other times as a vulnerable recipient. Indeed, there is no doubt that institutions play a critical role in explaining the nitty-gritties of violence with political objective. The opportunities and capacities for using political violence are also shaped by institutions in several ways. For instance if political actors are satisfied with the outcome of an election based on the fact of institutional impartiality, rule of law, due diligence, free, fair and transparent polls then violence should not be taking place.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought role of the media in raising awareness about electoral violence in Ghana. A case study of 2016
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information the role of the media in raising awareness about electoral violence in Ghana. A case study of 2016. 200 staff of Electoral Commission of Ghana was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain role of the media in raising awareness about electoral violence in Ghana. A case study of 2016. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenge of the media and elections in Ghana
Summary
This study was on role of the media in raising awareness about electoral violence in Ghana. A case study of 2016. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the information media disseminate to people in Ghana 2016 election, to ascertain the role of media during Ghana 2016 election and to ascertain the relationship between media and elections in Ghana 2016 election. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of Electoral Commission of Ghana. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made electoral commissioners, presiding officers, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Today, the radio, newspaper and television are the quick sources of information for all Ghanaians. The current challenges to the role of the media in Ghana are radical political commentaries, political extremism, abuse of media political commerce and the polarization in the country as a result of the actions and inactions of the two major political parties. These variables are more likely to cause political violence if they succeed in manipulating the professional role of the media. Going forward in the future, in the 2016 and beyond, it will be much profitable if the various stakeholders in Ghana ‘s political discourse avoid the practice of divisive politics. So long as the media has graduated from the culture of silence that occurred in pre-Fourth Republic Ghana to the culture of noisily emancipation in the Fourth Republic and media freedom that the repeal of the criminal libel law has aided; another culture must be developed to restrain these institutional abuses. The culture of checks and balances, professionalism and the attainment of socio-political equilibriums must be employed through the strengthening of the co-regulating media framework and its related institutions.
Recommendation
Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, we made the following recommendations:
- Government owned media should be more proactive in handling electoral reports in Ghana, and should report on free and fair elections at all times no matter who such report favours.
- Government should allow public owned media to be run professionally so that they should emphasize fairness in their report of elections in the country.
References
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